You will feel right at home in this ultimate Metroidvania, conceived of and designed by one of the originators of the genre. Specifically, this game calls back to Symphony of the Night. The map, the simplified but responsive and elegant controls (I do advise a game pad, but it's also very manageable with a mouse and keyboard), the monster bestiary, the candle smashing, and of course, the level design and the music (which also shares the same composer as the aforementioned title.) As expected, portions of the map can only be accessed once you have obtained specific powers or abilities, making for satisfying a non-linear exploration experience. If you weren't old enough to have played SOTN or haven't played a "Metroidvania" game before, then you could compare this to Ori and Blind Forest, Hollow Knight, etc. However, the focus here, although not a Castlevania game, is most assuredly on the occult -- and it takes place in and around a giant castle, for the most part. Give it a try. It's worth it.
